Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2016
Source: USA Today (US)
Copyright: 2016 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc
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Author: Junnelle Hogen, The (Salem, Ore.) Statesman Journal
POT GROWERS TAKE HOME BLUE RIBBONS
SALEM, ORE. - Marijuana leaves of all shapes and sizes lined a
competition alcove at the Oregon State Fairgrounds on Saturday. The
plants were surrounded by hundreds of booths listing technology,
agriculture and business innovations in the cannabis growing industry.
"People say we've 'Microsofted' the cannabis industry," organizer
Mary Lou Burton joked.
The weekend was the first marijuana growers fair in Oregon, hosted at
the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem. Sponsored by the state
marijuana business council, and with presentations from state
agencies regulating the newly legalized industry, it highlighted a
number of desires from Oregon entrepreneurs and businesses to turn
the state into a go-to region for marijuana.
"It's no longer a black market. It's a burgeoning market," said Caleb
Hoffman of Colorado. He said he reserved a hotel room for the weekend
to attend the fair to draw inspiration from state innovators.
Saturday afternoon, the fair also hosted the first cannabis live
plant competition in the state, featuring 51 leafy plants. Five
judges led by Ed Rosenthal, the styled "guru of ganja" by admirers,
picked out nine winners for sativa, hybrid and indica varieties.
Several of the winners came from the outskirts of Salem. Danny Grimm
and Nathan Martinez hugged after the winning results and proudly
displayed blue ribbons.
The two men, with the cannabis farm Uplifted, won first in two
categories, boasting honed indica and sativa plants.
They say they are planning to switch to pure recreational marijuana
grows in a few months and are signing a lease on a new
50,000-square-foot facility in place of their local 5,000-foot facility.
The winning plants will resurface at the fairgrounds for the Oregon
State Fair in two weeks. Due to concern from parents that their kids
might get hold of the leafy plants, they will be featured in a
separate greenhouse guarded by volunteers, who will card onlookers,
only admitting people ages 21 and older.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom